Cycling Junior Team (ages 9-13) NEW FORMAT FOR SUMMER 2025

Junior Team is a weekly mountain bike program that provides children ages 9-13 an opportunity to experience and grow in the sport of mountain biking in a positive, safe, and fun environment. Junior Team is for entry-level to experienced riders motivated to improve their fitness and technical skills, and it is the next step for the Youth Cycling and Adventure Team. Junior team focuses on inspiring, encouraging, and empowering young athletes to achieve their potential on and off the bike. Designed to foster a lifelong passion for mountain biking and develop a well-rounded foundation of skills needed to excel in both cross country and enduro disciplines, the program will include training days with a focus on cross country endurance and interval training, as well as descending skills and bike handling.

Combining what has formerly been Junior Team and Enduro Amateur Team, each week’s training will offer cross country focused days (Monday) with an emphasis on building endurance through long group rides, with skills/descending days (Wednesday) with a focus on cornering, jumps and drops, line selection, and body position - key skills for both enduro and cross country riding. Fridays will be adventure days, with training either out of town or in Steamboat with different options for athletes more interested in enduro or cross country riding. Racing is not required, but is encouraged as a great way to learn, have fun and develop skills along the way.

Junior team is a great summer option for athletes in any SSWSC winter program, with the benefits of improved endurance, strength, body position, competition experience, and teamwork all complementing progression in a winter sport.

Requirements

Equipment: A front or full-suspension mountain bike with gears, disc brakes, and wheel size of 26” or bigger, cycling helmet, bike gloves, sunglasses, hydration pack, and spare tube (the same size as your athlete’s tires). Cycling flats are recommended as they are designed with stiffer soles for more efficient energy transfer to the pedal.

Skill Requirements: Some mountain bike experience and comfort riding blue singletrack trails. Ability to ride up to three hours with breaks.

Schedule

Spring Schedule: Monday and Thursday, May 5-29, 4-6 p.m.

Three Options for Junior Team Summer Schedule:

Option 1: Monday, Wednesday Friday: Monday and Wednesday, 8-11 a.m., Friday, 8 a.m. - noon (or later for out of town trips), June 6-August 1

Option 2: Wednesday and Friday (Leans toward Enduro/Gravity): Wednesday, 8-11 a.m., Friday, 8 a.m. - noon (or later for out of town trips), June 6-August 1

Option 3: Monday and Friday (Leans toward Cross Country): Monday, 8-11 a.m., Friday, 8 a.m. - noon (or later for out of town trips), June 6-August 1

Tentative Friday Fun Day Schedule:
June 13 - Minturn Bike Park - no lifts, dual SL, bike features, green - black
June 20 - Eagle - variety of bike trails and rocky terrain. Building skills with surface variety and technical challenges.
June 27, July 11, July 18 - Steamboat (two options) - Cross Country long ride Downhill at Steamboat Resort

July 25 - Frisco Bike Park/Cross Country ride option OR Trestle Downhill or Cross Country option
August 1 - Steamboat Endurance Finale

Cross Country Racing:
May 3 - Fandango (Castle Rock) earn USAC points race for Colorado State Championships
Town Challenge Racing - local cross country series
July 26, 27 - Colorado State Championships - Copper Mt.

Enduro Racing:
Revolution Enduro Series
Frisco Junior Funduro (Frisco Bike Park)

2025 Program Fee

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: $1,650

Monday OR Wednesday and Friday: $1,250

*Program fee does not include costs for out-of-town travel with the team.

• Scholarships: SSWSC offers scholarships for summer program fees through a one-step EZ Scholarship process during registration and enrollment.

• Payment and Payment Plans: SSWSC offers multiple payment options for summer, winter, and year-round program fees. eCheck (ACH bank transfer), cash, checks, and credit cards are all accepted. We also offer a payment plan option. Find more information HERE.

Junior Team can be combined with the following summer 2025 Strength and Conditioning programs: Fundamentals of Strength and Conditioning and FunFit.

Questions about this program?
Email Blair Seymour, Director of People and Sport Development